Full-fashioned knitting machine and method of operating the same



Dec. 11, 1951 ANKE FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE AND 7 METHOD OFOPERATING THE SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1946 11 IKE--1- IHIINVENTOR 3mm hlnlie BY II'TORNEY Dec. 11', 1951 2,578,164

R. ANKE FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAMEFiled Sept. 13, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 11, 1951 2,578,164

R. ANKE FULL-FASHI D KNITTING HINE AND METHOD OPERATING T SAME FiledSept. 13, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTgR [1 Amiga Dec. 11, 1951 R. ANKE v2,578,164

FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACH AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE S Filed Sept.13, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l E- I 176 516 F15- "1.5-

INVENTOR Dec 31,1951 R ANK E F FASHI D KNITTING MACHIN ND ETHODOPERATING THE SAM Filed Sept. 13, 1946 5 Sheets$het 5- Patented Dec. 11,1951 FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING acmne mi METHOD- OF OPERATING" THE SAMERudolph. Anke,.West Lawn, Pa., assignor to TextileMachine Works,Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 13,1946 Se'rial-No: 696,848

32 Claims.

The present invention relates to full-fashioned knitting machines andmore particularly to a covering knife arrangement for the fashioningmechanism of such machines.

All full-fashioned knitting machines are provided with fashioning pointsfor varying the width of the fabric being knitted. At times, it isdesired to prevent certain of the fashioning points from engaging. andtransferring. loops of the fabric and for this purpose, so-called.covering knives are used. Such knives are used on footer machines inwhich the fashioning points are carried in pairs of wide and narrowcombs for making the diamond point toe narrowings and are also anecessary part of. single unit machines, machines for making both leg,and foot portions of blanks for full-fashioned single unit stockings,when it is desired to-shape the toe portion by diamond point narrowings.In the latter type machines difficulties have arisen which. were notfound. in the footer machines. The knives on footers for making the.diamond point toe narrowings are always at the centersof the knittingsections of the machines but op-- erate only when reinforced fabric isbeing formed. so that it is relatively unimportant if. they touch thefabric in operating. In single unit machines, however, it has been foundnecessary to place the narrow combs in inactive positionat the con-- terof each knitting section while all fashion-- ing operations in shaping.the stocking blank, except those in the toe portion, are performed bythe wide combs. Under these conditions, the narrow combs are alsolowered at each fashioning operationandtherefore the knives must beoperated at each fashioning operation, prior to the diamond toenarrowings, to-prevent the points of the narrow combs from acting on theloops. In the usual operation to prevent fashioning points from engagingloops the covering. knives touch the fabric several times in eachoperating cycle which, as hereinbefore set forth, occurred in thereinforced toe portion, resulting, in little or no damage to the fabric.In operat-- ing, in the knitting of single unit blanks, to prevent thepoints of the narrow combs fromdisplacing the loops, the knives engagethe'unreinforced portion of the blank, which due to the fineness of theyarn often results in irreparable damage thereto.

Further, in a single unit machine fitted with an automatic welt turnerof a certain typeor of certain types, the ordinary center knivesarefound to strike the hooks in the welt barsbe cause, after the Welthas been turned, the welt hooks; are closerto, and in front of the lineof the needles and remain engaged with the loops-While certainnarrowings are performed before the'welt bars move; far enough from theneedle row" to prevent the knives from striking the welt hooks.

narrowings are then performed in the fabric, the

old; type; center knife interferes with the hooks on the welt bar.

It is therefore an object ofthe invention to.

providev an arrangement for operating covering knives for full-fashionedknitting machines which will move the active edge of a covering knifeina predetermined path entirely removed from the fabric at all times.

Further, a certain type of single unit stocking which has achievedconsiderable popularity may be made conveniently by improved apparatusincluding a pair of covering knives for each section placed so asto actwhen in use at the selvages, of certain heel sections of the blank.

Another object of the invention is to provide anovel means-for operatingboth a center knife and a pair of selvage knives in a knittingsectionand with an improved action incident to its construction.

Still another object of the invention. is toprdvide new andimprovedmeans for operating both a center knife and a pair of selvage knives ina knitting section from a single cam.

A further object of the invention is to provide; a means: in:amulti-section knitting machine for operating both a central knife and apair of selvage knives ineach knitting section and in whichthe-mechanism of one set of knives assists With these and other objectsin View, which will become apparent from-the following detaileddescription of the-illustrative and practical embodiment of theinventiomshown in the accompanying drawings, the invention comprises thenovelelements; features: of construction and combination of parts incooperative relationship, as

gamma.

3 hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a full-fashionedknitting machine to which the invention has been applied, showing aportion of the narrowing machine with covering knives thereon and thecams for operating the narrowing machine and the knives;

Fig. 2 is a detailed view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows and on a slightly reduced scalerelative to Fig. 1, and showing the portion of the narrowing machineoperating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through a full-fashioned knitting machinetaken substantially on the line 3-4;; of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detailed view taken substantially on the line ifiof Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and on an enlargedscale relative to Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the parts in thesamerelative positions as in Fig. 9;

Fig. 6 is a detailed front view of the right hand portion of Fig. 1,showing a portion of the operating means for the knives;

Fig. 7 'is a detailed sectional view taken approximately on the line 1-1of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially along the line88 of Fig. 6 as viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 99of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a detailed sectional view on an enlarged scale takenapproximately on the line I0lil of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a detailed front elevational view of the mechanism of Fig.10;

Fig. 12 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the linel2-l2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line i3l3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially onthe line iii-i4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 15 is an elevational view as seen from the right of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the parts in differentpositions relative thereto, showing one position of the parts during anoperating cycle thereof;

Fig. 17 is a view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 16 on an enlargedscale with the parts in a further position during an operating cyclethereof;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 1'7 but showing the parts in differentpositions relative thereto;

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 16 showing the parts in a furtherposition during an operating cycle thereof;

Fig. 2G is a view similar to Figs. 1'7 and 18 but showing the parts inanother position during an operating cycle thereof.

In the drawings and description, only the means and method necessary toa complete understanding of the invention are specifically set forth;further information as to the construction and operation of otherrelated, usual and well known knitting machine elements, mechanisms,etc., may be found in one or more of the following publications:

1. Pamphlet entitled Full-Fashioned Knitting Machines published andcopyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania, in1920.

2. Three catalogs entitled The Reading Full- Fashioned Knitting MachineParts Catalog published and copyrighted by the Textile Machine Works, in1929, 1935 and 19 10, respectively.

3. Booklet entitled The Reading High Production Full-Fashioned KnittingMachine which, forming a supplement to the above noted 1940 partscatalog of the Textile Machine Works, is a publication of the TextileMachine Works, copyrighted by the latter in 1940.

4. Pamphlet entitled Knitting Machine Lectures published by theWyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, in 1935.

The drawings show a portion of a machine to which the invention has beenapplied and which has a covering knife for each knitting section of themachine, the active edge of which moves toward and away from thefashioning points along a path entirely above the fabric so that thereis no abrasive action on the fabric by said knife. This knife is'adpated to be used at the center of a knitting section for preventingaction of points in the narrow combs of a machine having both wide andnarrow combs whenever it is desired or necessary to position the narrowcombs at the centers of the knitting sections. Further, the knittingmachine, of which a portion is shown herein, has covering knives adaptedfor use at the selvages of fabric made thereon, the center knives andthe selvage knives being on separate shafts but operated from a commoncam so that the shafts for both sets of knives turn throughapproximately the same angle although having a different action on thefabric.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the machine shown will beunderstood to have a considerable number of knitting sections, probablythirty and in general is of known construction having a frameworkincluding transverse frames of which one known as a center frame isshown at 25 in Fig. 3, and longitudinal member tying said transverseframes together and including a center bed 26 and a front bed or table21. A main cam shaft 39 is shown as mounted on the transverse framemembers and cams (not shown) will be understood as fixed to shaft 38 tooperate a needle bar 31 having knitting needles 32 thereon to cooperatewith other knitting elements such as the sinkers and dividers, alsooperated from shaft 30, although indirectly. A sinkerhead 33 is shown onthe centerbed 26, having dividers 35 and sinkers 35 therein. The yarn tobe knitted is laid on the noses of the sinkers and dividers which arethen operated to press the yarn against the shanks of the needles toform loops to be knitted. At times, it is desired to fashion the fabricbeing knitted, that is, to narrow or widen it.

For this purpose, the machine is provided with a narrowing machine 49including a back narrowing shaft 41 journalled on the transverse framesof the machine and connected to a front narrowing shaft G2 by arms, oneof which appears at 43 in Fig. 3 so that shaft 52 can swing around shaft41 as an axis. The arms 33 are fixed to the back narrowing shaft 4| byset screws or other suitable means and the front narrowing shaft islikewise suitably fixed to the arms 43 and has brackets 44 fixed to itin which are mounted narrowing rods 45, it, 47 and ii}. Narrowing rods45 and 3! have fixed thereto narrow fashioning or transfer point comb5i) and 5|, respectively, while rods 46 and 48 have wide transfer pointcombs 52 and '53, respectively, fixed thereto, one narrow comb and onewide comb acting together at times on a given selvage with the widecombs being positioned at the ends of the needle bar 31 when not in useand the narrow combs being positioned at the middle of the needle barwhen not in use, as shown in Fig. 1. The latter steps are of advantagein machines of a single unit type, that is, the machine is used to makeboth the leg and the foot of a stocking with the wide combs functioningto produce the leg, heel and foot narrowings, but to make the diamondpoint toe, both wide and narrow sets of combs for each knitting sectionare employed.

The weight of the front narowing shaft 42 and parts supported therefromis transmitted to the cam shaft 39 by means including a set of links oneof which appears at 55 in Figs. 1 and 2. Each link 55 is pivotallyconnected to the shaft 42 at its upper end and pivotally connected atits lower end to one end of ,a lever 56, the other end of which ispivoted on a stud 6! on the center frame 25. As clearly shown in Figs. 1and 2, the lever 56 is positioned above a circular disk 51 and a cam 58,carried on the shaft 38. Each lever 55 has a lug 82 near its rear endwhich projects from the under side of the lever and is adapted to engage a jack member 12, as hereinafter set forth, slidably carried by alever 60 also pivoted on the stud 6| between the lever 55 and the camshaft 30 to transfer the weight of the narrowing machine to the. lowerlever 60. From the lever 66, the weight of the narrowing machine istransmitted to the shaft 30 by means of a roller type cam follower 63,which is mounted in lever Ell to rotate on an axle 64 fixed in the leverparallel to shaft 36, and adapted to cooperate with either disk 51 orcam 58 as desired. During knitting cycles, the follower 63 engages withthe circular disk 51 which has a diameter such that the points in thecombs are held in inactive position above the needles. At the beginningof a fashioning cycle, the pattern means of the knitting machine shiftsshaft 30 along its axis so that follower 63 engages the cam 58 to dipthe points in the combs to engage certain of the loops on the needlesand to transfer them to adjacent needles in the usual manner.

The narrowing machine of the usual full- 1 fashioned knitting machine isprovided not only with transfer point combs but with a picot or lace bar65 which also acts to transfer loops from the needles on which they wereformed to others. Picot bar 55, shown in Fig. 1, is carried by means ofarms 6! on a shaft 556 also supported in the bracket M on the narrowingshaft 42. Shaft 66 can be turned so that the bar 65 is in inactiveposition, as shown in Fig. 1, or in a lowered position in which itspoints may act on loops on the knitting needles. In the loweredposition, the picot bar is positioned below the combs il53 when the baris to act on the loops, the picot bar 65, however, being recessed asshown at to permit the fashioning points to overlap the picot bar tosome extent, when the bar is to be used, and at H to clear a coveringknife arrangement for the combs 5i! and El and hereinafter set forth. Inthe present embodiment of the invention the picot points and thefashioning points when active must each be at the same level and thelatter points at a higher level during operation of the picot points,the front narrowing shaft 42 operates at a higher level when the picotpoints are to act on the loops than when the fashion- 6. ing points areto so act. Therefore, a means is" shown for varying the level of thefront narrowing shaft 42 with respect to the axis of rotation of thefollower 63 and such means is -shown in Fig. 2 as comprising the jackmember 12 which is slidably mounted on lever 6%) to move parallel to theaxis of shaft 30 beneath lug 62 to move a high portion 13 of the jack,beneath the lug 62 to hold the front narrowing shaft in position topermit the picot points to operate and to prevent the points in thecombs to 53 from engaging the needles. During a cycle when the points onthe fashioning combs are to operate, the jack 12 is positioned, as shownin Fig. 2, so that the lug B2 is in engagement with a low point of jackmember 12. For shifting Jack 12 from one position to the other, a twopart lever 14 is rotatably mounted on lever The rear part of lever 14engages jack [2 and the forward part of lever M extends between twocollars 15 on a rod '16 which extends parallel to shaft 30 and also tojack 12. In order that the rod 16 may be shifted to move either the highportion 13 or the low portion of member 72 beneath the lug 52, to changefrom a fashioning operation to a picot or lace operation, the narrowingmachine must be raised to its highest inactive position by means notshown. Further details and operation of the foregoing mechanism foroperating the narrowing machine at two different levels is more fullyshown and described in Held Patent No. 2,242,070.

As shown, a covering knife Eli! is provided for each pair of small combs50 and 5|. Knives 83 are operated from a shaft 8| journalled in bracketsone of which is shown at 18 secured to one of the brackets 44 on theshaft 42 of the nar' rowing machine 40. As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5,the knife 8B is secured to the free end of a lever 19 as by screws 84 orother suitable means. The lever 19 is pivotally mounted between the armsof the bifurcated portion of a lever 82 by means of a gudgeon B3 towhich the lever '59 is secured, the lever 82 being secured to the shaft8 l.

The shaft 8|.is held in fixed angular position during the majority ofthe period the knitting machine is in operation by coil springs 85, oneof which is shown in Figs. 11 and 12, in cooperation with a disk 86 onshaft 30, shown in Fig. 3, together with intermediate members. Spring isconnected at its lower end to a pin 81 fixed to the bracket 18 and atits upper end to the upper end of a link 88. The link 88 is providedwith a slot 89 through which extends a shouldered portion of a stud 90fixed to the bracket 18, the link being movable in a predetermined pathbetween a head portion 93 of the stud 90 and the bracket 78. The link 88is pivoted at its lower end to a disk 9i fixed to and eccentricallymounted on shaft 8|. In the position shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 12, theknife 80 and shaft 8| are in active positions with the spring 85 tendingto turn the shaft Si in the clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 12. Inorder to throw knife 80 out of action, the shaft 8| is turnedcounterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 12 to move the connection between thedisk 9| and link 88 to the left of the shaft 8| with the spring 85tending to maintain the link in said position.

To control the action of shaft BI and knife 88 when in active position,means is provided including a lever 95 shown in Figs. 1, 6 and '7 whichis loosely carried on the shaft 8;. The lever 95 is held in engagementwith a vertically movable shelf-like member 96 by means of a clutchmember H8 secured to the shaft 8!. The clutch member has a projection I[9 which extends into the path of a tooth-like projection I20 on thelever 95, shown in Fig. 9, the spring 85 acting through the clutchmember II8 to press a rounded free end of lever 95 against the member96. The member 96 is fixed to a vertically movable rod 5'? by means ofset screws 98, shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the rod 91 being connected atits lower end to a stud I02 pivotally carried at one end of a lever 99,shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the other end of said rod passing through anopening in a pin I03 pivotally carried in an arm I8I on one of thebrackets I8, Fig. 3. Lever 99 is pivotally mounted on the framework ofthe machine and has a transverse bolt or pin I therein on which isrotatably mounted a roller type cam follower I05. The parts are sopositioned that, during knitting cycles, follower I rests on circulardisk 86 as shown in Fig. 3. The shelf member 95 is thereby held at sucha level that the lever 82 on shaft BI is held in the angular positionshown in Figs. 4 and 5. At the same time, the cam shaft 38 is in itsknitting or left hand position as viewed from the front of the machine,Fig. 1, and the fashioning points are in inactive position above thehighest level reached by the needles, as shown in Fig. 3. With thisarrangement, when the knife 80 is in active position, as shown in thedrawings, the projection IIQ of member H8 is in engagement with theprojection I25 on the arm 55 and knife 80 will follow the movements ofthe arm 95 as controlled by the rod 91. When, however, for any reason,the shaft 8| and projection H9 is moved in the counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 9, to move the knife as to inactiveposition, the arm 95 will have no effect on the shaft 8 I.

The movement of the shaft 8] in the counterclockwise direction islimited by a pin I23 projecting from an eccentric collar I24, as shownin Figs. 14 and 15, fixed to the shaft 8|, the pin engaging a recess I25in one of the brackets 78. When the narrowing machine is raised to shiftthe member 12, the shaft BI is raised with the shaft 42 which permitsthe lever 95 to loosely turn in a clockwise direction on the shaft BI.To prevent the lever from turning beyond a position in which it will becontacted by the member 96 when the narrowing machine is again loweredinto active position, the lever 95 is provided with an arm IE5 adaptedto engage the shaft 66 to limit the clockwise movement of the arm 95.

When a fashioning or a lace operation is to be performed, meanscontrolled by the pattern chain (not shown) of the knitting machinecauses shaft 38 to be shifted to the right to move the disk 5! fromalignment with the cam follower 53 on which the front narrowing shaft 42is supported and move the cam 58 into alignment with said follower tolower the narrowing machine, and thereby the parts supported from thefront narrowing shaft 42, and also causes the disk 86 to be moved fromalignment with the follower I05 and a cam I06 to be moved into alignmentwith said follower. The cam for dipping the front narrowing shaft lowersand raises the fashioning points in the combs in the usual manner andcam I535 acts to lower rod 91 to cause knife 80 to move between thepoints on the narrow combs 55 and 5! and the needles 32 to prevent thepoints from acting on loops on the needles within the span of the narrowcombs. In cooperation with the action of the cam I08 on rod 51 to causeknife 86 to coact with the fashioning points, the lever I9 of the knifestructure has parallel ribs I08 projecting therefrom for engagement witha shaft Hi], the ribs I08 being held against the shaft IIO by a springI59. The spring I09 is positioned between the ribs I08 and is connectedto the levers 82 and 19, as shown in Fig. 5, to maintain the edges ofthe ribs in contact with shaft III! to cause the knife to follow thenecessary path to prevent the points on combs 50 and SI from engagingthe loops on the needles during fashioning cycles of the knittingmachine.

At the beginning of a fashioning cycle, knife 80 is positioned as shownin Figs. 4 and 5, follower I05 being on the high part of cam I86 andfollower 53 being on the high point of the cam 58 for dipping the frontnarrowing shaft, both such high points having a predetermined angularposition with relation to cam shaft 30. As the followers 63 and I05 passoff the high points of their cams, the narrow combs 50 and 5I beingassumed to be laid out at the center of the knitting section and widecombs 52 and 53 being positioned to act on the selvages of the fabric,the points of the Wide and narrow combs move downwardly from theposition, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, toward the needles while knives 80move downwardly and into engagement with the points, as shown in Fig.16, in the narrow combs at a level above the tops of the needles andprior to movement of the needles into engagement with the points. Anadjustable stop bolt III is fixed in an arm I51 integral with lever 82and is adapted to contact shaft IIil when the shaft BI is in the angularposition shown in Fig. 16 to predetermine the pressure between knife 8E!and the points in combs 58 and 5|. As the points and knife 80 continueto move downwardly with the needles, the needles are also moved towardthe points in the usual manner until the upper parts of the needlebeards contact the knife with the result that the needles are bent in adirection away from the points from their normal position and the beardsof the needles are opened slightly, as shown in Fig. 17. The points,knife and needles then continue downwardly together until the tip of theneedle beard passes the loops held on the needles, the knife preventingthe points from engaging the loop on the needle, as shown in Fig. 18.The points not contacted by the knife 80 close the beards of the needlesaligned therewith and pass between the loops and the needles preparatoryto lifting the loops from the needles, a result occurring when theneedles then pass below the upper edges of the knockover-bits. Thepoints and needles then rise continuously to the relative positionsshown in Fig. 19 along a fiat or somewhat straight path. At thisposition in the cycle, the points being a little above theknockover-bits, the points of the combs which have not been laid out areshifted by their rods one or two needle spaces to bring the points intovertical planes, transverse to the needle bars, of other needles thanthose from which the loops were lifted. As the points are moved to theposition shown in Fig. 19, a high portion I04 of the cam I06 also raisesthe member 96 to turn shaft 8| from its angular position in Fig. 16 tothat in Fig. 19 to cause the knife 80 to move upwardly and forwardlyaway from the points along a path well above the fabric at all times.After the active points have shifted the engaged loops to adjacentneedles, the points and needles go down together to the relativepositions shown in Fig. 20, at which point in the cycle the sinkers arebrought forward above the fabric. It is to be understood that when thepoints of the combs 50 and I are in inactive position at the center ofthe knitting section they receive no movement corresponding to the usualloop shifting movement but remain in alignment with the same needlesthroughout their inactivity. The cam I05 is so formed that the shaft Illand arm 82 hold the knife 86 in substantially the same position relativeto the points as the narrowing machine moves down to carry the pointsfrom the position shown in Fig. 19 to that shown in Fig. 20, the camhaving a relatively low portion immediately following the portion I04which compensates so far as the angle of shaft BI is concerned for thedownward movement of the narrowing machine. Following the positionsshown in Fig.

20, the parts return to the positions of Figs. e and 5. It will be seen,therefore, that the path of knife 88 is such that it is entirely free ofcontact with the fabric and the sinkers and contacts the points andneedles only to prevent the points from engaging the loops on theneedles.

Also operated by rod 91 from cam I06 are knives I35, arranged two foreach knitting section to act on certain of the points in the wide combsused to operate on the selvage portions of heel sections of blanks forsingle unit stockings. As knives I33 act on portions of the fabric whichare reinforced, it is not necessary to vary their arrangement andoperation as compared to those previously used. in making diamond pointtoes except to locate them outwardly from the center of the knittingsections. The knives I3ii are mounted on arms I secured to the shaft II0. Shaft lie is shown as having an eccentric collar or disk I32analogous to the eccentric disk 9I on shaft 8|. Disk I32 is pivotallyconnected to the lower end of a link I33, having a slot I34 whichembraces a bolt itI at the opposite side of bracket I8 from link 88 forshaft BI. The upper end of link I33 is connected to a throw-over springI35 the lower end of which is connected to a pin I28 carried in thebracket 18. Contrary to the showing of spring 85 in Fig. 12, however,spring I35 is shown in Fig. 10 as thrown over to the position in whichthe spring holds knives I30 in their inactive positions. When it isdesired to move the covering knives use from their inactive position,shown in 13, to their active position, the disk I 32 is rotated in aclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 10, to carry the point ofconnection of the lower end of link I33 from the left to the right ofthe center of shaft IIO, to a point analogous to that shown in Fig. 12for the point of connection between link 88 and disk 9!. A lever I36,shown in Figs. 6 and 8, is loosely carried on shaft I It correspondinggenerally to lever 95 on shaft BI. The lever IE6 is pressed by thespring I35 against a shelf member I3'I, fixed to the rod c1, by means ofa clutch member I secured to the shaft Ill The clutch member M5 has aprojection I46 which is adapted to engage a projection I4! on the leverI35 when the knives I 30 are in the lowered or active position (notshown). When the knives I30 are in the raised or inactive position shownin Fig. 13, the projection I55 on collar I45 is in the position shown inFig. 8, in which position the action of the spring is not transmitted tothe lever I 36. Limits are set to the movement of shaft III] and knivesI30 in both directions. To this end, shaft II 0 has an eccentric collarI 38 fixed thereon alongside bracket 38, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15,and on the opposite side thereof from collar I24. Collar I38 has a boltI 38 fixed therein one end of which is adapted to contact the bottom ofa recess similar to the recess !25 in the front face of bracket F8, tolimit the movement of shaft lit in the counterclockwise direction asviewed in Fig. 13, thereby holding knives I39 in the inactive position.To prevent the spring I35 from exerting excessive pressure on the pointsof the wide combs 52 and 53 when the knives are moved to activeposition, the shaft IIE; has an arm I'4I adjustably mounted thereonwhich adapted to engage the shaft 8i to limit the movement of the knivesISQ in the clockwise direction toward the points, as viewed in Fig. 13.Further, the lever 23B is provided with an arm I 42 adapted to engagethe shaft BI to prevent the end of lever I36 from turning in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 8, beyond the vertical path of the memberI3! when the narrowing machine 4!) is raised to shift the jack "I2, ashereinbefore set forth, while the knives I 30 in the lowered or activeposition on the narrowing machine.

In operation, the knives I353 follow the same path as in the usualcovering motion shown in the hereinbefcre referred to Reading partscatalogs, that is, the knives are lowered with the fashioning points toprevent the points covered by the knives from engaging loops on theneedles. The knives are then moved away from the points along an arcuatepath about the axis of the shaft I I I), which path carries the knivesbelow the level of the fabric being knitted. However, as this path ofmovement in the present arrangement is close to the selvage edges of thereinforced portions of the fabric no damage occurs due to the knivesstriking the fabric.

In the operation of the knife during fashioning operations, the cam I05operates the shaft 8| through the rod 91, member 96 and lever 95 toprevent the points of the narrow combs 59 and BI from engaging loops onthe needles 32. As the narrowing machine 40 is lowered by the cam 58,the cam I05 also lowers the rod 9? and member 96 whereupon the springexerts pressure to turn the shaft in the clockwise direction and,through engagement of the projection i I 9 on the member IIB with theprojection I2!) on the lever 95, maintains the lever in contact with themember 96 as it is lowered. With the turning movement of the shaft BIand the guiding of the ribs I08 of the lever I9 against the shaft iiithe knife is moved downwardly and into engagement with the points fromthe position shown in Figs. 4. and 5 to the position shown in Fig. 16.As the points and knife continue to move downwardly the beards of theneedles are engaged and opened as shown in Fig. 17 whereupon the points,knife and needles continue to move downwardly together until the tips ofthe needle beards pass the loops held on the needles and into theknockoverbits as shown in Fig. 18. The knife continues to movedownwardly with the points and needles until it reaches a point close tothe tops of the knockover-bits and is then moved upwardly and away fromthe points by the cam I86 to the position shown in Fig. 19, the knifeand points remaining in this relation until again raised to the positionof Fig. 4.

The covering knife 80 prevents the points of the narrow combs 50 and SIfrom engaging loops on the needles during all fashioning operations tothe start of the toe portion of the stocking fabric where the narrowcombs 5D and 5| are moved outwardly to coact with the wide combs 53 and52 respectively in forming the toe narrowings. Near the end of the toenarrowings the knife 85 again operates to progressively prevent thepoints of the narrow combs from engaging the loops in forming thediamond point portions of the toe narrowings.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described by which isobtained the above results can be changed and modified in various wayswithout departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafterclaimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A covering knife arrangement coacting with the needles and points ofa full-fashioned knitting machine and comprising a shaft, an arm on saidshaft, a second arm pivoted to said arm and having a knife thereon, aguide member, a cam surface on said second arm cooperating with saidmember to determine the path of the active edge of said knife, means forholding said cam surface against said guide member when the knife is tobe used, said cam surface inclining rearwardly and downwardly, and meansturning said first arm to carry the pivot of said second arm downwardlyand rearwardly to contact the active edge of the knife with the pointsand afterward turning it upwardly and forwardly to withdraw the activeedge of the knife from the points along a path preventing contact of theknife edge with the fabric.

2. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having knitting needles andfashioning points, the combination of a covering knife placed centrallyof a knitting section, a covering knife placed to act on the fashioningpoints and the needles at a selvage of a heel portion of a blank made onthe section, both said knives having active and rest positions,actuating means common to both said knives, and connections between saidknives and actuating means constructed and arranged to give said centralknife a relativelv cuick upward movement compared to said selvage knife.

3. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a narro in machine mechanism.two shafts on said mechanism, a covering knife on each of said shafts.one of said shafts assisting in guiding the knife on the other shaft inthe ap roach and retreat of the knife to and from its effectiveposition. both said knives having active and inactive nositions, andactuating means common to both said knives.

4. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a cover n knife. a s aft. anarm fixed to said shaft on which said knife is pivoted, transfer points,knittin needles with which said points cooperate in a fas ioning cycle.a guide fixed relativelv to said shaft and a member fixed to said knifeand havin a surface cooperating with said uide to cause the kn fe towithdraw from the points along a path upwardly inclined awav from theoints.

5. In a full-fash oned knitting machine, a knitting section rovided witha narrowing machine having fashioning noints as well as center andselvage knives mounted thereon, and separate oscillatable shafts forsaid center and selvage knives. one of said knives being fixed to turnwith its shaft and the other being pivotally supported from its shaftand arranged and guided to withdraw from the points along a pathentirely above the fabric formed on the section.

6. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a

knitting section provided with a narrowing machine having fashioningpoints as well as center and selvage knives mounted thereon, se arateoscillatable shafts for the center and the selvage knives, one of saidknives fixed to its shaft to turn therewith, and the other pivotallysupported '12 from its shaft and arranged and guided to withdraw fromsaid points along a path entirely above the fabric formed on saidsection, and common actuating means for the shafts of said knives.

7. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, fashioning points having a downand up movement in fashioning cycles of the machine, a covering knife, ashaft for said knife having an arm fixed thereto on which said knife ispivotally mounted, means oscillating said shaft to cause said knife toapproach and retreat from said points, and guiding means for said knifeprovid ing coacting rounded and approximately plane surfaces causingsaid knife to approach said points along a downwardly inclined pathwhose lowest point is above the fabric and to withdraw from the pointsupwardly along said path.

8. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a knitting section including anarrowing machine having fashioning points carrying out a down and upmovement in fashioning cycles of the machine, knitting needles, twocovering knives mounted on said narrowing machine, shafts for saidknives, one knife being fixed to its shaft to turn through the same areas the shaft and the other shaft having an arm fixed thereto on whichthe other knife is pivoted, said other knife having a part providing anapproximately plane surface, and a spring arranged to draw said surfaceagainst the shaft for the one knife, the other knife approaching andwithdrawing from said points in a path entirely above the fabric knittedby said needles, due to the coaction of said surface and said shaft forthe one knife.

9. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a front narrowing shaftarranged for an up and down movement about an axis at the rear of theshaft and having point combs thereon, a covering knife for each knittingsection of the machine placed centrally of the section and having amotion withdrawing from the points inclining upwardly and forwardlytherefrom to entirely avoid contact with fabric made on the section,knives for each section placed outwardly from the center thereof andhaving a circular motion withdrawing from the points, and meansincluding a cam common to both the central and out wardly placed knivesfor operating them.

10. In a full-fashioned knitting machine. a covering knife adapted tocooperate with fashioning points and needles to prevent the points fromaffecting loops on the needles and means operating said knife to causeit to approach its position of cooperation with the points and needlesand to withdraw therefrom along a path inclined upwardly from itscooperating position with respect to said points and needles.

11. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a covering knife, a shaft foroperating said knife, an arm fixed to said shaft on which said knife ispivotally mounted, means oscillating said shaft to cause said knife toapproach and retract from an active position, and stop means forpreventing the knife from overrunning its desired active position.

12. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a comb having fashioningpoints therein, a covering knife for engaging said points, a shaft foroperating said knife, an arm fixed to said shaft on which said knife ispivotally mounted, means for oscillating said shaft, a guide membercoacting with said means to cause said knife to approach said pointsalong a downwardly incliner path to engage them, and a stop member fixedwith relation to said knife and contacting said admires uide member to;determine. the: end; of said; anproaching movement.

13;, In a. full-fashioned knitting; machine, comb: having fashioningpoints, thereim covering knife; for en aging said points; a sh f f rsaid knife, an arm fixedtosaid, shaft on which said, knife is pivotallymounted, means; for osci-l lating said shaft, 9, guide member coastingwith said means to; cause said-knife; to approach said points along adownwardly inclined path to en gages them, and-1a stop. memberadjustably fined with relation to; said guide membertoi determine the:-relative: positions, of said knife and points when in. engagement.

1a., In, a, full-fashioned. knitting. machine, a comb having fashioningpoints therein, a covering knife adapted, to engage said points atdesired times, a shaft forsaid knife, an arm fixed to said shaft, onwhich said, knifeispivotally mounted, means for oscillating said. shaft,a guide member, a member having a straight guide surface and arranged tomove with said knife and coasting with said. guidev member to causevsaid knife to approach, said points along a, downwardly in,- clined'.path, and. a stopv member adjustably fixed with relation to said guidemember to. determine the, relative positions of said. knife, andpcintsfor engagemenh 15; In a full-fashioned knitting machine, twoshafts and a covering knife on, each of said shafts, one, of said,shafts assisting, in guiding, the knife on they other, shaftin theoperative move,- mcn s of the lat r, knifa. throw-over spring means,one. for each. of. Said knives, and, stop means for each knifeforlimlting its movements in responselto said spring means.

16. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having knitting needles andfashioning points, the combination of, two shafts and a covering knifeon each of said shafts, one placed centrally of a knitting section andone placed to act on the needles and points at the selvage of a heelportion of a blank made on, the section, both said knives having activeand rest positions, actuating means common to both said knives, throw--over spring means, one for each of said knives, for biasing the knivestoward one end or theother of their paths, and stop means for limitingthe movements of said knives in response to said spring means 17, In afull-fashioned, knitting machine, a

knitting section provided with narrowing mechanism having fashioningpoints as well as center and selvage knives mounted thereon, separateoscillatable shafts for the center and the salvage knives, a supportingbracket common to said shafts, one of said knives being fixed to itsshaft to turn through the same angle as the shaft and the other beingpivotally supported from its shaft and arranged and guided to withdrawfrom said points along a path entirely above the fabric formed on saidsection, throw-over spring means, one for each of said shafts, commonactuating means for said shafts, and stop means one for each knife andeach stop means including said bracket.

18. In the method of operating a full-fashioned knitting machineincluding needles, point fashioning instrumentalities and coveringknives, the steps which comprise operating the knives along a downwardlyinclined path in timed relation with the loop transfer during fashioningto cover certain numbers of the needles to prevent transfer of the loopsbeing formed on said covered needles, and then moving said knives fromoperative relation with said needles and points along a pathentirelyaboverand out: of contact withrthc fabric formed on saidneedles.

19, In a full-fashioned knitting machine having knitting needles andfashioning points, a covering knife placed centrally of a knittingsection, acovering knife placed to act on the needles and points at aselvage: of. a portion of a blank made on the section, both said knives,having active and rest positions, and actuating means for both saidknives, and means acting on one of said knives when in its activeposition to cause it. to move, away from said points in a line ofmovement distinct from the. live of the movement of said other knife.

20; In a full-fashioned knitting machine, two independently movableknives, separate mountings for each of said knives, means associatedwith one of. said mountings for guiding the knife carried by the othermounting in its approach to its effective position and actuating meansfor said knives. V

21. A, covering knife arrangement coacting with the needles and pointsof a full-fashioned knitting machine and comprising a shaft, an arm onsaid shaft, a second arm pivoted to said arm and having a knife thereon,a guide memher, a, surfacev on said second, arm, cooperating with saidmember to determine the path of the active edge of said knife, means forholding said surface against said guide member when the knife isv to beused, and means for turning said shaft" to move said surface relative tosaid guide member.

22, In a. full-fashioned. knitting: machine. the combination of acovering knife arrangement comprising, a shaft, an arm, fixed thereon, asecond arm pivoted to said first arm, and a covering knife; carried bysaid second arm, and means operating said arms whereby compoundmovements may be imparted to said knife.

23. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having needles, a. narrowingmachine, points on the narrowing machine, means for actuating thenarrowing machine to move said points into and out of cooperativerelation with said needles in a narrowing cycle, a covering knife; onsaid. narrowing'machine and means cooperating with said knife andnarrowing machine to cause said knife to approach along a downwardlyinclined path and contact said points and needles during the narrowingcycle, and said means causing saidknife to withdraw from the pointsalong said. inclined path upwardly and away from said points.

24. A covering knife mechanism arranged for coaction with the needlesand points of a fullfashioned knitting machine and comprising a shaft, alever on said shaft, an arm pivoted to said lever and having a knifethereon, a guide member, a surface on said arm cooperating with saidmember to guide said knife along a path inclined downwardly toward saidpoints for said coaction with said needles and points, and means forturning said shaft to move said surface relative to said guide member.

25. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a knitting section providedwith a narrowing machine having fashioning points as well as center andselvage knives mounted thereon, separate oscillatable shafts for thecenter and. selvage knives, and means for operating said shaft, one ofsaid knives being fixed to its shaft to turn through the same angle asthe shaft and the other being pivotally supported from its shaft andarranged and guided to withdraw from said points along a path entirelyabove the fabric formed on said section.

26. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a knitting section providedwith a narrowing machine having fashioning points as well as center andselvage knives mounted thereon, separate oscillatable shafts for thecenter and selvage knives, one of said knives being fixed to its shaftto turn through the same angle as the shaft and the other beingpivotally supported from its shaft and arranged and guided to withdrawfrom said points along a path entirely above the fabric formed on saidsection, and actuating means for the shafts of said knives.

27. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, fashioning points having adown and up movement in fashioning cycles of the machine, a coveringknife, a shaft for said knife having an arm fixed thereto on which saidknife is pivotally mounted, means for operating said shaft, and coactingmeans on said shaft and knife operating to cause said knife to approachsaid fashioning points along a downwardly inclined path whose lowestpoint is above the fabric and to withdraw from the points upwardly alongsaid path.

.28. In a multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine, a frontnarrowing shaft arranged for an up and down movement and havingfashioning points thereon, a covering knife for each knitting section ofthe machine placed centrally of the section, guide means defining a pathfor said knife entirely above the fabric in each section, selvage knivesfor each section operable to withdraw from contact with said points, andmeans for operating said knives.

29. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a knitting section providedwith narrowing mechanism having fashioning points as well as center andselvage knives mounted thereon, separate oscillatable shafts for. thecenter and the selvage knives, a supporting bracket common to saidshafts, one of said knives being fixed to its shaft to turn through thesame angle as the shaft and the other being pivotally supported from itsshaft and arranged and guided to withdraw from said points along a pathentirely above the fabric formed on said section, and common means toactuate said knives along the path individual thereto.

30. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, the combination of knittingneedles, fashioning points, a covering knife for said points, a frame onwhich said knife and points are carried,

means holding said frame during knitting cycles so that the active edgeof said knife is forward of the points and above their lower ends, meansgiving said frame two downward movements during fashioning cycles tobring the points, except those under the action of the knife, intocontact with the needles, means for actuating said knife downwardly andupwardly on the frame within the period of a fashioning cycle, and meansguiding said knife positively, downwardly and rearwardly relative to thepoints, to press the knife between the points and the needles andguiding the knife upwardly and forwardly relative to the points andneedles, said actuating means being constructed and arranged to act inconjunction with said guiding means to maintain the knife out of contactwith the fabric formed on the needles from the time the knife firstseparates from the points and the needles until the end of the cycle.

31. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, two shafts and a coveringknife on each of said shafts, means for operating said knives, and meansfor guiding one of said knives in its operative movement including theshaft for the other of said knives.

32. In a full-fashioned knitting machine, a narrowing machine, twoshafts on said narrowing machine, a covering knife fixed to one of saidshafts, a covering knife pivoted to the other of said shafts, means foroperating both of said knives along different predetermined activepaths, and means carried on said narrowing machine for guiding saidpivoted knife in its active path.

RUDOLPH ANKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 725,647 Aldridge Apr. 21, 19031,926,522 Friedmann Sept. 12, 1933 1,971,725 Muller Aug. 28, 19342,178,319 Bitzer Oct. 31, 1939 2,273,675 Verbeek Feb. 17, 1942 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 558,301 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1943 665,876Germany Oct. 5, 1938

